Container having openings and external cover panel

ABSTRACT

A dual purpose shipping/display container is disclosed having a plurality of wall panels that define a central space. One or more openings are positioned in adjoining wall panels to provide access to the central space. A cover panel is removably attached overlying the adjoining wall panels and substantially covering the openings, which are preferably contiguous. Removing the cover converts the container from a shipping container to a display container for point of purchase retail sale. A removable panel portion may be positioned beneath the cover panel within an opening. The removable cover panel may be attached to the wall panel, the cover panel, or both. The removable cover panel prevents product from binding with the exposed edges of panels within the central space when it is loaded into the container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns dual purpose containers that are both shipping containers and display containers for the products contained therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Containers such as those made of corrugated paperboard are commonly used to ship bulk products, for example, candy or other food products, small toys or components, from a manufacturer or warehouse to a retail seller. The retail seller unpacks the product from the containers and stocks it on the store shelves. However, the unpacking and stocking tasks may be avoided, thereby saving time and money for the retailer, through the use of containers that act as both shipping and display containers for the product.

Such a container is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,780 which discloses a container having a top and a contiguous portion of a side panel that are removable to provide substantially unrestricted viewing and access to the contents of the container. The retailer merely need remove the top and panel portion to convert the shipping container to a display container that displays the product for inspection and sale.

Because the containers are a display device their outside surfaces are often colorfully decorated with logos, trademarks and other indicia that present a pleasing, eye-catching advertisement for the product contained therein. The disadvantage of some display containers manifests itself however, when they are converted from shipping containers to display containers. The removable portions of the container, for example, panel portions or tops, do not always separate cleanly from the container. Often the outer surface, and with it the advertisement displayed thereon, is damaged by tears and other irregularities, thus defeating the purpose of decorating the container. Furthermore, conversion of the container may require the use of box cutters, knives, or other tools which present a hazard due to their sharp cutting edges.

There is clearly a need for dual purpose shipping and display containers that do not require the use of tools to set up and wherein the potential for damage to the container, when it is converted from a shipping container to a display container, is reduced or eliminated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a container comprising a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space. An opening is positioned in one of the wall panels thereby providing access to the central space. A cover panel is removably attached overlying the one wall panel in a position substantially covering the opening. The cover panel is removable from the one wall panel to provide access to the central space through the opening.

Preferably, the container includes another wall panel having a second opening therein. The other wall panel shares a common edge with the one panel described above. The cover panel is removably attached overlying the other wall panel substantially covering the second opening. The cover panel is removable from the other wall panel to provide access to the central space through the second opening.

The invention further includes a container having a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space. The container has a first opening positioned in a first wall panel providing access to the central space, and a second wall panel attached to the first wall panel along a common edge. The second wall panel has a removable panel portion positioned co-planar with it. Preferably the removable panel portion is attached to the second wall panel. Removal of the removable panel portion from the second wall panel forms a second opening in the second wall panel. A cover panel is removably attached overlying the first wall panel. The cover panel substantially covers the first opening. The cover panel is also in overlying relation with the second wall panel and is preferably attached to the removable wall panel portion. The cover panel is removable from the first wall panel to provide access to the central space through the first opening. When they are attached to one another the cover panel further causes removal of the removable panel portion when it is removed from overlying relation with the second wall panel. Removal of the removable panel portion forms the second opening providing access to the central space.

Preferably, the removable panel portion is substantially contiguous with the first opening, and the first and second openings are also substantially contiguous with one another upon removal of the cover panel. The removable panel portion, when attached to the second wall panel, has a perimeter defined by a plurality of perforations in the second wall panel allowing its removal therefrom.

In another embodiment, the container according to the invention comprises a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within the container. At least one of the wall panels has a removable panel portion. Removal of the removable panel portion from the one wall panel provides an opening in the one wall panel providing access to the central space. A cover panel is positioned overlying at least the one wall panel in a position substantially covering the removable panel portion. The cover panel is removably attached to the one wall panel. Preferably the removable panel portion is attached to the one wall panel and the cover panel is attached to the removable panel portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 with a cover panel removed;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank from which the container shown in FIG. 1 is made;

FIG. 4 is perspective view of a knockdown configuration of the container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 being assembled from the knockdown configuration shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a container according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken at line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 6 with a cover panel and a removable panel portion removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a container 10 having a removable cover panel 12 according to the invention. Container 10 is formed of a plurality of wall panels 14 attached to one another along fold lines 16 (described below) to define a central space 18. Corrugated paperboard is a preferred material for container 10, but other materials, such as polymers are also feasible. For this example container there are six wall panels, top panel 20, front panel 22, bottom panel 24 (see FIG. 2), back panel 26 (also shown in FIG. 2) and side panels 28 and 30. The side panels 28 and 30 are not unitary panels like the bottom panel 24, but are formed from a plurality of flaps that extend from neighboring panels and which are attached to one another to define the side wall panels. As best shown in FIG. 5, side panel 28 is formed from flaps 28 a, 28 b, 28 c and 28 d which extend respectively from top panel 20, front panel 22, bottom panel 24 and back panel 26. Similarly, side panel 30 is formed from flaps 30 a, 30 b, 30 c and 30 d which extend respectively from top panel 20, front panel 22, bottom panel 24 and back panel 26. Formation of the side panel 28 is effected in this example by first folding flaps 28 b and 28 d inwardly toward one another along fold lines 32 and 34. Flaps 28 a and 28 c are then folded inwardly toward one another along fold lines 36 and 38 into positions overlying flaps 28 b and 28 d. Adhesive is preferably used to attach flaps 28 a and 28 c to flaps 28 b and 28 d to create wall panel 28, shown in FIG. 1. Flaps 30 a-30 d are folded analogously along respective associated fold lines 40, 42, 44 and 46 (all of which are shown in FIG. 3) to form wall panel 30.

With reference again to FIG. 1, at least one wall panel, and preferably two wall panels, in this example top panel 20 and front panel 22, each have respective openings 48 and 50 that provide access to the central space 18. Preferably the openings 48 and 50 are positioned in adjacent wall panels such as top panel 20 and front panel 22 that share a common edge 52 with one another. To facilitate access to the central space 18 it is preferred that opening 48 be substantially contiguous with opening 50, meaning that there is no container structure between the openings, thus allowing a substantially unrestricted view and access into the central space 18. This allows the container 10 to act as a display bin as well as a shipping container for the goods residing in the central space 18.

Cover panel 12 is removably attached to top panel 20 and front panel 22 substantially overlying these panels and covering openings 48 and 50 therein. Removable attachment is effected by positioning adhesive deposits 53 at a plurality of discrete locations between the cover panel 12 and the top panel 20 and the front panel 22. The number, shape and size of the adhesive deposits determine the attachment strength between the cover panel 12 and the top and front panels 20 and 22. The bond should be strong enough that the cover panel does not come off during shipping and handling but will come off readily without the use of tools or any significant damage to the top and front panels when intentionally removed as described below. Preferably, for hot melt glue commonly used to construct cardboard containers, four dime-sized dots of adhesive, as shown in the example container 10 of FIG. 1, are sufficient to meet the aforementioned requirements.

As shown in FIG. 1, a tab 54 is positioned along an edge 56 of the cover panel 12. Tab 54 is preferably defined by a pair of cuts 58 arranged in spaced apart relation and which extend through the cover panel 12. Tab 54 provides purchase for manual grasping allowing the cover panel 12 to be removed from top panel 20 and front panel 22 to expose openings 48 and 50 in these panels as shown in FIG. 2.

Container 10 is preferably constructed from a die cut blank 60 shown in FIG. 3. Blank 60 comprises two substrate portions, the larger substrate portion 60 a from which the wall panels 14 are formed, and the smaller substrate portion 60 b comprising the cover panel 12. The larger substrate portion 60 a is preferably die cut into the required shape as shown, and creases are impressed into the substrate which provide fold lines that define the various wall panels. Proceeding from right to left in FIG. 3, flaps 28 d and 30 d are attached to back panel 26 at respective fold lines 34 and 42. Back panel 26 is attached to top panel 20 at fold line 62. Flaps 28 a and 30 a are attached to top panel 20 at respective fold lines 36 and 44. Flaps 28 a and 30 a are separated from flaps 28 d and 30 d respectively by cut-outs 64 and 66. Top panel 20 is attached to front panel 22 at fold line 52. Flaps 28 b and 30 b are attached to front panel 22 at fold lines 32 and 40. Flaps 28 b and 30 b are separated from flaps 28 a and 30 a respectively by cut-outs 70 and 72. Openings 48 and 50 in the top and front panels 20 and 22 are conveniently formed during the die-cutting process at this time by a single cut that spans both panels, the top and front panels 20 and 22 being contiguous and in the same plane. Bottom panel 24 is attached to front panel 22 at fold line 74. Flaps 28 c and 30 c are attached to bottom panel 24 at respective fold lines 38 and 46. Flaps 28 c and 30 c are separated from flaps 28 b and 30 b respectively by cut-outs 76 and 78. A glue tab 80 is attached to bottom panel 24 at a fold line 82. Glue tab 80 provides a surface for receiving adhesive that interfaces with back panel 26 as shown in FIG. 5 to attach the bottom panel to the back panel 26 and create the knockdown described below.

The smaller substrate portion 60 b is cut to the appropriate size to form cover panel 12. Further cuts 58 are made to define one or more tabs 54 and a fold line 84 is formed across the cover panel 12. The cover panel 12 is then attached to the top panel 20 and front panel 22 in overlying relation as shown in broken line so as to substantially cover openings 48 and 50. Adhesive deposits 53 are used to effect the attachment. Upon attachment, fold line 84 is aligned with fold line 52 between the top and front panels 20 and 22 to facilitate formation of container 10 from the knockdown 86, shown in FIG. 4 and described below.

Knockdown 86 is formed from the blank 60, shown in FIG. 3, by reverse folding bottom panel 24 about fold line 74. Back panel 26 is then reverse folded about fold line 62 so that it partially overlaps glue tab 80 on bottom panel 24. Adhesive between the glue tab 80 and the back panel 26 secures the bottom and back panels to one another. Thus formed, the knockdown 86, shown in FIG. 4, comprises a first knockdown wall 88 and a second knockdown wall 90, the knockdown walls being arranged in overlying relation to form a substantially flat assembly that allows the knockdown to be shipped economically from the manufacturer of the container to the user where it can be assembled into the container 10 as described below. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, first knockdown wall 88 is formed of top panel 20, flaps 28 a and 30 a, front panel 22, flaps 28 b and 30 b, and cover panel 12. These panels are considered for the purpose of the knockdown to lie in substantially the same plane. Knockdown wall 90, positioned substantially beneath knockdown wall 88 and therefore not entirely visible in FIG. 4, includes back panel 26 (not visible), flaps 28 d and 30 d, bottom panel 24 (not visible) and flaps 28 c and 30 c. As described above, glue tab 80 effects the attachment between the bottom and back panels, and these panels and their associated flaps and tabs are considered to lie substantially in a plane parallel to the plane of the other knockdown wall 88.

The knockdown walls 88 and 90 are attached to one another at knockdown corners 92 and 94 which correspond respectively to fold line 74 between front panel 22 and bottom panel 24, and fold line 62 between top panel 20 and back panel 26.

As described above, the knockdown 86 provides a substantially flat assembly that is easily shipped to the user. The user then converts the knockdown 86 into the container 10, usually using automated machinery to effect the following steps as described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The flat assembly shown in FIG. 4 is expanded by pivoting the panels about the fold lines 52, 62, 74, 82 and 84 in the manner of a four bar linkage. This action produces the open ended configuration shown in FIG. 5. Next, one end is closed off by folding the flaps, for example 30 a-30 d inwardly to form the side panel 30 (visible in FIG. 2). Fixing of the flaps to one another to form a secure side panel is preferably by using adhesive bonding but may also be through any of the other means known in the container art including forming a “crash bottom” for example. Once one side panel is formed the container may be loaded with goods and the opposite side panel, in this example 28, is formed to seal the container 10. The container may then be shipped to its destination where the end user removes cover panel 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to produce a point of purchase display.

An alternate embodiment, container 100, is shown in FIG. 6. Like the embodiment previously described, container 100 has a removable cover panel 112. Container 100 is formed of a plurality of wall panels 114 joined along fold lines 116 to define a central space 118. The top panel 120 and front panel 122 of the container 100 are of interest in this embodiment and thus are described in some detail below, it being understood that the previous description of container embodiment 10 is substantially the same for container embodiment 100 and, therefore, need not be repeated.

Top panel 120 has an opening 148 that provides access to the central space 118. However, front panel 122 has a removable panel portion 122 a, its perimeter 123 being shown in dotted line in FIG. 6, the panel being shown in cross section in FIG. 7. The removable panel portion 122 a fills the space beneath the cover panel 112 and is advantageous because its presence prevents binding that sometimes occurs between the inside surfaces of the container 100 and certain products during loading of the products into the container.

As best shown in FIG. 8, removable panel portion 122 a is preferably defined by a plurality of discrete cuts 125 through the front panel 122. Between each cut a “nick” 127 is positioned. As is known in the container art, each nick 127 provides a small attachment region between the front panel 122 and the removable panel portion 122 a. The size, number and spacing of the nicks determines the force required to remove the removable panel portion 122 a from the front panel 122. More nicks closely spaced mean that more force will be required to separate the panel portion from the panel. In this embodiment, it is desired to have the removable panel portion 122 a removable with minimum force so as to ensure that the surface of the front panel 122 that will form part of the display, is not damaged when the removable panel portion 122 a is removed. To that end, 1/8 inch nicks 127 may be spaced apart at three inch intervals with the cuts 125 extending in between them along the perimeter 123. Alternately, removable panel portion 122 a may be cut over its entire perimeter 123 and have no nicks attaching it to front panel 122. When not attached to the front panel 122, the panel portion 122 a may be held in position co-planar with the front panel 122 by attachment of the panel portion 122 a to the cover panel 112, the panel portion being removed upon removal of the cover panel.

With reference again to FIG. 6, cover panel 112 is attached to top panel 120 and front panel 122 by adhesive deposits 153. The strength of the attachment is determined so that the cover panel 112 stays attached during shipping and handling but is readily removable with minimum effort and damage to the panel surfaces when it is desired to convert the container 100 from a shipping container to a display container. Cover panel 112 is preferably attached to removable panel portion 122 a by adhesive deposits 129. This ensures that the removable panel portion 122 a will be removed along with the cover panel 112. Alternately, if it is not attached to the cover panel 112, the removable panel portion 122 a may be removed in a separate step after the cover panel is removed. Removal of the cover panel 112 and the removable panel portion 122 a reveals respective openings 148 and 150 in the top and front panels 120 and 122, thus providing a display container for the display and sale of products. 

1. A container, comprising: a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within said container; an opening positioned in one of said wall panels providing access to said central space; a cover panel removably attached overlying said one wall panel in a position substantially covering said opening, said cover panel being removable from said one wall panel to provide access to said central space through said opening.
 2. A container according to claim 1, further comprising another wall panel having a second opening therein, said other wall panel sharing a common edge with said one panel, said cover panel being removably attached overlying said other wall panel substantially covering said second opening, said cover panel being removable from said other wall panel to provide access to said central space through said second opening.
 3. A container according to claim 1, wherein said cover panel is adhesively bonded to said wall panel.
 4. A container according to claim 2, further having a knockdown state comprising: a first knockdown wall including a first of said wall panels and a second of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same first plane, said first and second panels being attached to one another along a first common edge; a second knockdown wall including a third of said wall panels and a fourth of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same second plane substantially parallel to said first plane, said third and fourth panels being attached to one another along a second common edge; wherein said first and second knockdown walls are attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners to form a substantially flat assembly.
 5. A container according to claim 4, wherein said first knockdown wall includes said cover panel and said one and said other panels having said openings therein.
 6. A container comprising: six wall panels attached to one another to define a central space; a first opening positioned in a first of said wall panels and a second opening positioned in a second of said wall panels, said first and second wall panels being attached to one another along a common fold line, said first and second openings being substantially contiguous with one another; a cover panel having a first portion attached overlying said first wall panel substantially covering said first opening and a second portion attached overlying said second wall panel substantially covering said second opening, said cover panel being removably attached to said first and second wall panels, removal of said cover panel providing access to said central space through said first and second openings.
 7. A container according to claim 6, further comprising a tab attached to said cover panel, said tab providing purchase for manual grasping for removal of said cover panel from said first and second wall panels.
 8. A container according to claim 6, wherein said cover panel is adhesively bonded to said first and second panels.
 9. A container according to claim 6, further having a knockdown state comprising: a first knockdown wall including said first and said second wall panels and said cover panel positioned in a substantially same first plane; a second knockdown wall including a third wall panel and a fourth wall panel positioned in a substantially same second plane substantially parallel to said first plane, said third and fourth panels being attached to one another along a common edge; wherein said first and second knockdown walls are attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners to form a substantially flat assembly.
 10. A container, comprising: a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within said container; a first opening positioned in a first wall panel providing access to said central space; a second wall panel attached to said first wall panel along a common fold line, said second wall panel having a removable panel portion co-planar therewith, removal of said removable panel portion from said second wall panel forming a second opening in said second wall panel; a cover panel removably attached overlying said first and second wall panels and substantially covering said first opening and said removable panel portion, said cover panel being removable from said first and second wall panels to provide access to said central space through said first opening, said removable panel portion being removable from said second wall panel thereby providing access to said central space through said second opening.
 11. A container according to claim 10, wherein said cover panel is also attached to said removable panel portion, removal of said cover panel from overlying relation with said second wall panel causing removal of said removable panel portion thereby forming said second opening providing access to said central space.
 12. A container according to claim 10, wherein said removable panel portion is substantially contiguous with said first opening, said first and second openings being substantially contiguous with one another upon removal of said cover panel and said removable panel portion.
 13. A container according to claim 10, wherein said removable panel portion has a perimeter defined by a plurality of nicks and cuts in said second wall panel, said removable panel portion being thereby removably attached to said second wall panel.
 14. A container according to claim 10, further having a knockdown state comprising: a first knockdown wall including two of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same first plane, said two wall panels being attached to one another along a first common edge; a second knockdown wall including a third of said wall panels and a fourth of said wall panels positioned in a substantially same second plane substantially parallel to said first plane, said third and fourth panels being attached to one another along a second common edge; wherein said first and second knockdown walls are attached to one another at first and second knockdown corners to form a substantially flat assembly.
 15. A container according to claim 14, wherein said first knockdown wall includes said first and second wall panels and said cover panel.
 16. A container, comprising: a plurality of wall panels attached to one another to define a central space within said container; one of said wall panels having a removable panel portion, removal of said removable panel portion from said one wall panel providing an opening in said one wall panel providing access to said central space; a cover panel positioned overlying at least said one wall panel in a position substantially covering said removable panel portion, said cover panel being removably attached to said one wall panel.
 17. A container according to claim 16, wherein said removable panel portion is attached to said one wall panel.
 18. A container according to claim 16, wherein said cover panel is attached to said removable panel portion. 